Boxmaking machine



June 29, 1954 E L NAN 2,682,210

BOXMAKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 5, 1951 6 Shee tS-Sheet l vmural ELBERT L. Bil ANS,

INVENTOR.

A TTORNEK June 29, 1954 BIVANS 2,682,210

BOXMAKI'NG MACHINE Filed Feb. 5, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 1. BERT L. all/Ans.

IN V EN TOR.

A T TORNE K June 29, 1954 E. BIVANS 2,682,210

BOXMAKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 5, 1951 I 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 ELBE'RT L. Bil ANS,

- INVENTOR.

A TTORNEV,

6 Sheets-Sheet 4 9 I S M R K 0 m0 5 ,1 N v m B R 0 .E m 0 L I N T M T] A M R E a M :1

June 29, 1954 Filed Feb. 5, 1951 Ilw: rill June 29, 1954 E. BIVANS BOXMAKING MACHINE 6 Shee ts-Sheet 5 FiledFeb. 5, 1951 ELBERT L-B/VA/VS,

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEK June 29, 1954 BIVANS 2,682,210

BOXMAKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 5, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 ELBERT L. Bil/ANS;

' INVENTOR.

A T TORNEK Patented June 29, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOXMAKING MACHINE Application February 5, 1951, Serial No. 209,343

13 Claims.

The invention relates to a box-makin machine and more particularly to a machine for operating on paste-board boxes which are folded flat, the operation consisting in erecting or opening the box and also in tucking in the side flaps and the end flap at one end of the box. The invention is an improvement on the box machine disclosed and claimed in co -pending application S. N. 140,073 filed January 23, 1950.

In the box machine of said patent application, in certain special cases, the end tucker cannot tuck in the end flap. One of these cases exists where the folded boxes are deformed so that when the four sides thereof are erected, the uppermost front of the box is concave. In this case, the end flap would not move in low enough to tuck under the concave front of the box. In another case, certain special boxes have a comparatively long end flap and a small distance from the front to the back of the box. The former machine would not tuck the end fiap in a box of this type. One object of the present invention is to overcome these difficulties and provide an end tucker which will tuck in the end flaps under the circumstances above stated and for different types of shallow or deep boxes. This is accomplished by providing a primary end tucker and a secondary end tucker to effect the tucking in two steps. The end flap has two fold lines, one where the flap joins the box and the other near the end of the flap. The primary tucker folds the flap at its outer fold line and moves to form a guide leading into the box. The secondary tucker completes the tucking operation while the end of the flap is being guided into the box by the primary tucker. To handle a box havin a concave or low front, the guide comes to a position underneath such front and the secondary uide in completin the tucking operation, raises the guide so that the box front is at its normal position to receive the end of the flap.

The invention provides a number of other improvements as will appear from the drawings and the f0110Wing description.

For further details of the invention reference may be made to the drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a plan view of a box-making machine according to the present invention, with parts broken away.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View on line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view across the feed device and bed of the machine, with parts broken away. v

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 55 of Fig. 3.

Figs. 6,7 and 9 are sections on lines of the corresponding numbers in Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the box and flap folding devices.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view corresponding to Fig. 9, with the end flap tuckers in another position.

Fig. 11 is a view like Fig. 10 ShOWiIlg the end tuckers in final tucking position.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged sectional View on line l2l2 of Fig. 1.

The same form of end flap tucker is shown in Figs. 9 to 12.

Figs. 13, 14 and 15 are vertical sectional views like Fig. of a modification for tucking the end flap under the front of a shallow box or under the concave front of a box.

Fig. 16 is a perspective View of a box having a concave front and for which the tuckers of Figs. 13, 14 and 15 have been provided.

Fig. 17 is an exploded perspective view of the end tucker of Figs. 13 to 15.

Figs. 18 and 19 are sectional views of a further modification for operating on a shallow box, these figures showing the end tuckers in dilTerent positions. F

Referring in detail to the drawings, the boxmaking machine comprises a rectangular casing I mounted on rollers 2. The casing I has a top 3 having a magazine 4 for a stack I! of collapsed boxes like 5, also a folding station Ki where the collapsed box is expanded to open position and the side flaps 1 and 8, see Fig. l and the bottom end flap 9 are tucked in. The box thus opened and tucked ready for ejection is shown in Fig. 11 although the end tuckers would first be moved away from the end of the box.

The box blanks 5 are fed one at a time from the bottom of the stack I! by means of a fork 18 which rides in an opening 20 in the bed 21 adjusted to fit a given box. The fork 13 is carried by a runner bar 22, see Fig. 2, driven through a suitable crank and lever system 23 by a motor 24. The speed of motor 24 can be changed by a controller 25. The drive for the fork I8 is disclosed and claimed in the above mentioned copending application and forms no part of the present invention.

The motor 24 through suitable belts or pulleys as indicated in Fig. 2 drives a pulley 28, see Fig. 2 also Fig. 5, on a countershaft 21 which carries all of the various cams for operating the tucking devices. The shaft 21 is mounted in suitable bearing like 28, 29 carried by the framework 30 of the casing I. Cam 3|, see Figs. 3 and 5, operates the side tuckers 32, 33 in and out, these tuckers being operated by a bell crank 34 havin a link 35 connected to a lever 38 having a cam follower 36. The cam follower 35 is urged on the cam 3| by a spring 31. The sprin 31 urges the tuckers 32 and 33 out, driving dwell 39 but is not sufficient to retract these tuckers if boxes are jammed at the folding station 6. To overcome this, as shown in Figs. 5 and 7, the cam 3| is provided with an overhang 40 to provide a groove iI in which the cam follower 36 rides, to positively operate the side tuckers 32 and 33 and permit the ejection of a faulty box so that subsequent operations will be normal without stopping the machine.

As shown in Fig. 3, the side tucker 32 is carried by a slide 42 connected through a link 43 with one side of bell crank 34. The otherside tucker 33 not only moves in and out but also up and down, as described and claimed in the above patent application. The side flap tucker 33 as shown in Figs. 3, 6 and 8, is carried by an oscillating arm 59 having a hinge connection 53 with a slide 55 on rod 58. Slide 55 has a cam follower 5I so that it is raised and lowered by cam 52. Spring 51 urges follower 5| onto cam 52. The side tucker 33 is moved in and out by a link connection 5 3 with the bell crank 34.

The up and down movement of side tucker 33, by means of cam 52, also serves to swin the side plate 30 between horizontal and vertical positions. Plate 88 is connected to slide 55 by a link 62, see Fig. 6. When the cam 52 raises follower 5| as shown in Fig. 6, this raises not only the side tucker 33, but also swings up the plate 50 to upright position as shown also in Fig. 8. The opposite plate 33 is fixed in upright position and does not move. The plates 60 and 63 have adjustable shelves like 64 for boxes of different depths.

When plate 60 swings up to open the box as shown in Fig. 8, the box is thus gripped or held between the plates 60 and 63 and their shelves like 64 while the various tuckers are operating.

As shown in Fig. 8, the side tucker 33 is fixed to the top of arm 50 which also carries a stud 65 serving as a hinge support for a bracket 63 which carries an adjustable presser 61 which offers a resilient abutment against which the end flap 9 is folded by the end tuckers I0. The presser 6! is urged towards the end tucker I by a spring 68. The other side tucker 32 has a similar presser 69.

As shown in Figs. 9 to 12, the end tucker I0 is in two parts, of which the part H may be designated a primary tucker and the part I2 a secondary tucker. The tucker II has a bracket 13 which adjustably carries a curved plate I4 which acts as a guide for the end flap. Plate I4 extends beyond the outer end I of the tucker I2 so that guide I4 can move relatively to the tucker I2 to fold the end of flap 9 at its outer fold line I6 as shown in Fig. 10. The hinge axis 1! of both the tuckers II and I2 is adjacent and parallel to the inner fold line I8 of the box. The tucker II in moving to fold the outer end of the flap as shown in Fig. 1 brings the guide I4 to a position where its outer end I9 is just underneath the top I3 of the box to provide a path leading into the open end of the box, whereby subsequent movement of tucker i2 completes the tucking operation while the guide I4 guides the folded outer end of the flap into the box.

As shown in Fig. 12, in their lowermost positions, the end I9 of tucker II and the tucker I2 are horizontal in line with the bed 2| so as to not obstruct the ejection of the finished box.

The bracket I3, as shown in Figs. 9, and 11 rests on an adjustable stop '80 whichis adjusted to bring the end of guide IE! to the horizontal position shown in Fig. 12.

The tucker II is operated by a cam 8| having a cam follower 82, on a lever 83 connected to a link 82 adjustably connected to bracket I3 as shown at 85 in Fig. 12. The follower 82 is shown above cam 8| in Fig. 9 because the stop 80 is supporting the bracket IS. The tucker I2 has a bracket 83 connected to a link 31 operated by lever 88 having a cam roller 89 for cam 90. The cams BI and 90 are fixed to the shaft 21. As shaft 21 rotates, cam 8| picks up its'roller 82 and its elevated position is shown in dotted lines at 9i where it is resting on the dwell 92 with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 10. In rising, bracket '53 picks up tucker l2 and elevates it to the position shown in Fig. 10 although this elevating could be done by cam 90. As follower 9| reaches the dwell 92, the rise 03 on cam 90 operates the tucker I2 to vertical position shown in Fig. 11 to complete the tucking.

In the form of end tucker shown in Figs. 9 to 11, the guide I4 is concentric with the hinge axis 11, but in some cases, the box front, when the box is unfolded to open position, is concave as shown at I00 in Fig. 16. In this case, the concentric guide M would not lead the end of the flap into the box. To overcome this, the guide I0| on the primary tucker is made eccentric with the hinge axis I02 of the tuckers, that is the distance from axis I02 to the inner end I33 of guide I 0| is greater than the distance from axis I02 to the outer end I00 of the guide and the latter distance is less than the radius of the secondary tucker I05. The guide IOI has a hinge support on bracket I06.

For example, guide |II has a plate I01 having an aperture I08 through which extends a stud I09 having a compression spring ||0. Plate I01 has apertures I I I, I I2, see Fig. 1? which loosely fit on pins I I3, I I4 on a plate I i5 adjustably secured on bracket I08 by a screw IIB. As shown in Fig. 14, the outer end i614 of guide I 0|, when the latter is in its elevated position, arrives at a position low enough to enter the uppermost front I00 of the box in position to guide the folded end I ll of the flap into the box as shown in Fig. 15. In so doing,

the secondary tucker I05 raises the guide |0| against the action of spring III], to elevate the concave front I for entry of the flap end I I1.

Figs. 18 and 19 illustrate a modified form of end tucker for a shallow box I20 having a long end flap I2I. In this case, the guide I22 of the .primary tucker is provided with a guide portion I23 which extends at an acute angle to the bracket I24. In other words, the distance from the outer end I 25 of the guide I23, to the hinge axis-I26 of the tuckers is less than in the form shown in Fig. 14: and small enough to fold the end I2I down so that when both one primary tucker I22 and the secondary tucker I28 are later operated as above described, the flap end |2| will be guided into the box by the guide I23.

To adjust the end tuckers for boxes of different dimensions, as will be apparent from various forms in Figs. 12 to 19, the primary tucker or guide like I4 in Fig. 12 may be removed and other sizes or types substituted, and the position of guide It; on bracket I3 may be adjusted by. screw I29. The same thing applies to the primary tuckers shown in the other figures. Also the secondary tucker I2 has a size about the same as the end of the box and various sizes of tucker I2 may be used instead, tucker I2 being removably held on a base I30 by screw like I3 I. The same applies to the secondary tuckers in the other figures. For various shallow boxes, the plate I2 may be omitted and the support I38 in Fig. 12 then serves as the secondary end tucker. The secondary tucker instead of having a plate like I2, as shown in Figs. 13 and 19 may have a strip I32 fixed to the end of he base I by screws like I34. The advantage of this, for a shallow box, is that the base its has a rear portion I which is on a level with the bed 2| while the outer portion of base I3il and the strip I32 are at a lower level as indicated in M6 in Fig. 18. As the pri mary guide I22 swings up, the secondary tucker I28, I 30 being horizontal, the guide i23 bends the flap I2I over the end of strip E34 with the outer end of the flap I2 I closer to the hinge axis I 2i; and

hence in a better position to enter into the box, than would otherwise be the case.

After the end flap 9 has been tucked in, the end tucker like '16 in Fig. 12 is returned to open position so as to not obstruct the ejection of the finished box, the side flap tuckers 32 and 33 are re tracted and the plate 60 is swung down to posi tion shown in Fig. 1, ready for the next box blank.

The bottom blank on the stack i'I may be released one at a time by a suitable escapernent I31, see Figs. 1 and 3.

If desired, the finished box may be ejected by the next blank which is advanced by fork I8. Preferably, however, the ejector is a separate item from the fork I 3. As shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 9, fork It is connected with a tube I38 in which slides a rod I38 having an ejector I40 pivotally mounted thereon as indicated at I 4|. The ejector I48 is in the form of a hollow head urged upwardly by spring I42. Ihe forward movement of ejector MI? is limited by a rubber bumper I43 on the frame of the machine. Tube I38 has a spring IM, see Fig. 4:, which urges ejector I40 forwardly. When ejector I463 is at its forward position, it has ejected the finished box, and as fork I8 brings a new blank to the folding station 6, fork I8 cams the ejector I49 down by a front end I45 acting on the outer surface I46 of the ejector. When the fork makes its return stroke, the tube I33 contacts a spring, see Fig. 2, on rod I 39 to retract the ejector I40. This is described in further detail in application Serial No. 343,837 filed March 23, 1953, for Knock-Out for Box Making Machine which is a division of the present application and discloses and claims the knock-out shown herein.

Various modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A box-making machine comprising a bed, means for feeding to said bed a box having an end flap projecting therefrom, said end flap having an inner fold line where it joins the box and an outer fold line adjacent the end of said flap, a primary tucker and a secondary tucker, said tuckers having'independent hinge supports on the same axis adjacent said inner fold line, said secondary tucker having a size comparable to the end of said box, said primary tucker having a guide thereon beyond the outer end of said secondary tucker, a presser device for pressing the flap towards said tuckers, means for moving said primary tucker relatively to said secondary tucker to urge said guide against said flap and fold said flap at its outer fold line and position said guide to form a path leading into the box, and independent means for operating said secondary tucker to tuck said flap in the box while guided by said guide.

2. A box-making machine for tucking the end fiap of an open box, said flap having inner and outer fold lines, said machine comprising primary and secondary tuckers, said tuckers having independent hinge supports on the same axis, cam means for moving said primary tucker relatively to said secondary tucker to fold said flap at said outer fold line, and cam means for moving said secondary tucker relatively to said primary tucker to fold said flap on said inner fold line.

3. A box-making machine for tucking the end flap of an open box, said flap having inner and outer fold lines, said machine comprising primary and secondary tuckers, said tuckers having independent hinge supports on the same axis, means for initially moving said primary tucker relatively to said secondary tucker to fold said flap at said outer fold line, and means for moving said secondary tucker relatively to said primary tucker to fold said initially folded flap on said inner fold line.

4. A box making machine comprising a bed, means for moving a collapsed box along said bed, said box having an end flap projecting foremost therefrom, said flap having a fold line at the box and an outer fold line adjacent the end of said flap, means at one end of said bed for supporting the box with its end flap projecting therefrom beyond said bed, a primary end tucker having a guide, a secondary end tucker, said tuckers having independent hinge supports on the same axis at the end of said bed, means for operating said primary tucker for movement of said guide relatively to said secondary tucker to fold said flap at said outer fold line and position said guide to lead the folded flap into the box, and independent means for operating said secondary tucker to advance the flap to tucked position in the box while guided by said guide.

5. A box making machine according to claim 4, said guide having a movable support, spring means urging said guide to a position where the outer end of said guide is at a lesser distance from said axis than the radius of said secondary tucker, said secondary tucker acting against said spring to raise said guide while approaching the tucked position of said flap.

6. A box making machine for tucking'the end flap of a box, said flap having a fold line at the box and an outer fold line adjacent the end of said flap, said machine comprising a primary end tucker and a secondary end tucker, said rimary tucker comprising a bracket, separate means pivotally supporting said bracket and said secondary tucker, a guide, a movable support for the inner end of said guide on said bracket, a spring urging said guide to a position with its outer end in the path of said secondary tucker, said spring urging said guide to a position to guide the end of said flap lower than the normal open position of the box front, means for operating said secondary tucker to engage and raise said guide as said secondary tucker advances, and means for operating said bracket.

'7. A box making machine according to claim 6, said means which pivotally supports said bracket having an axis, and means adjustably holding said support on said bracket at a selected one of diiTerent distances from said axis.

8. A box making machine according to claim 6, said separate means pivotally supporting said bracket and said secondary tucker having the same horizontal axis and comprising means supporting said secondary tucker above and in the path of said bracket when said bracket is in a lower position, said means for operating said bracket comprising means for elevating said bracket about said axis.

- 9. A box making machine for tucking the end flap of a box, said flap having a fold line at the box and an outer fold line adjacent the end of said flap, said machine comprising a primary end tucker and a secondary end tucker, a presser for pressing an inner portion of the flap on said secondary tucker, separate means supporting said tuckers for independent movement on the same hinge axis, said primary tucker having a guide,,means for advancing said primary tucker relatively to said secondary tucker to fold the flap at said outer fold line, said advancing means thereafter positioning said guide to lead the end of the flap into the box, and means for subsequently advancing said secondary tucker relatively to said primary tucker to fold the flap at the box fold line and complete the tucking.

10. A box making machine according to claim 9, said guide comprising a curved plate substantially concentric with said hinge axis and arranged beyond the outer end of said secondary tucker.

' 11. A box making machine according to claim 9, said primary tucker comprising a bracket extending from said hinge axis, said guide comprising a curved plate substantially concentric with said hinge axis and means for adjustably fastening said plate on said bracket for movement of said plate beyond the outer end of said secondary tucker.

12. A box making machine comprising a bed, means for moving a collapsed box along said bed, said box having an end flap projecting foremost therefrom, said flap having a fold line at the box and an outer fold line adjacent the end of said flap, means at one end of said bed for expanding the box with its end flap projecting therefrom beyond said bed, means at said end of said bed for tucking the end flap in said box, and means for operating said expanding means to hold the expanded box during operation of said tucking means, said tucking means comprising a primary end tucker and a secondary end tucker, a presser for pressing an inner portion of the flap on said secondary tucker, separate means supporting said tuckers for independent movement, said primary tucker having a guide, means for advancing said primary tucker relatively to said secondary tucker to fold the flap at said outer fold line, said advancing means thereafter positioning said guide to lead the end 'ofthe flap into the box, and means for subsequently advancing said secondary tucker relatively to said primary tucker to fold the flap at the box fold line and complete the tucking.

13. A box making machine according to claim 12, said means for advancing said primary tucker and said means for advancing said secondary tucker being operative to move said tuckers between a lower position and an upright position, and means for ejecting the open tucked box over the top of said primary and secondary tuckers when in their lower positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,365,415 Lawrence Jan. 11, 1921 1,473,992 Johnson Nov. 13, 1923 1,641,794 Weber Sept. 6, 1927 1,699,999 Ripley Jan. 22, 1929 2,389,758 Hohl July 31, 1945 2,441,410 Guyer May 11, 1948 2,462,460 Binsack Feb. 22, 1949 

